Regiment piles pressure on Mirror

The Daily Mirror published photos allegedly showing prisoner abuse

The regiment pictured allegedly abusing an Iraqi says "overwhelming evidence" shows the photos are fake.

The Queen's Lancashire Regiment told a press conference the Daily Mirror must apologise for publishing the pictures and endangering British troops.

Colonel David Black said: "It is time the ego of one editor is measured against the life of a soldier."

The Sun newspaper has offered a £50,000 reward for "information about the fake Mirror photos."

In a news conference in Preston on Friday afternoon, the regiment demonstrated to reporters the aspects of uniform and equipment which it said proved the photographs were fake.

Damage

Colonel Black, a former regiment commander, said the pictures put lives in danger and acted as a "recruiting poster" for al-Qaeda.

The regiment's Brigadier Geoff Sheldon said the vehicle featured in the photographs had been located in a Territorial Army base in Lancashire and had never been in Iraq.

The pictures accurately illustrated the reality about the appalling conduct of some British troops Piers Morgan Daily Mirror editor Mirror statement in full Mirror shareholders turn up heat

He said the QLR's reputation had been damaged by the Mirror and asked the newspaper to apologise because the evidence they were staged was "overwhelming".

Referring to the soldiers responsible, he said: "Whoever did this has committed a despicable act and I hope they are found out and receive an exemplary punishment."

One of the soldiers who spoke to the paper is to appear on television on Friday to detail his allegations.

Mirror editor Piers Morgan urged people to hear the soldier's testimony on ITV's Tonight and ignore previous claims by ministers that the photos printed in the paper are fake.

'Public function'

He said: "Soldier C is going on British television tonight and I urge people to listen to his testimony and stop believing the government."

The newspaper group's shareholders are also feeling uneasy about the story, says the BBC's business editor.

Profile: Piers Morgan

Trinity Mirror shareholders in the US told BBC business editor Jeff Randall they had concerns about the ethical issues and the possible damage to the paper's reputation from the publication of the photographs.

Former Mirror editor Roy Greenslade earlier said he thought the paper had made all the necessary checks before running the story.

And the story had "teased out" of ministers the wider allegations by the Red Cross and Amnesty about abuse of Iraqis by British troops.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Piers Morgan can defend himself by saying he's performed a public function."

Mr Morgan said: "There is, of course, a much bigger issue here that we make no apology for highlighting - which is that the pictures accurately illustrated the reality about the appalling conduct of some British troops."

Brigadier Sheldon said this was an "ignoble episode"

But former Defence Minister Lewis Moonie said the lives of British troops had been endangered and inflamed the situation.

Andrew Neil, the BBC presenter and former editor of the Sunday Times, said if an internal investigation at the Mirror found there were not proper checks, then "far from resigning, the management should fire him".

On Thursday Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram told the Commons the photographs were "categorically" not taken in Iraq.

Death in custody

But he refused to say any more about the Royal Military Police inquiry into the photos because criminal offences may have been committed.

The pictures appeared to show troops urinating on a prisoner and striking him with a rifle.

Meanwhile, two Danish army medics have claimed they saw two Iraqi prisoners - one of whom later died - brought into a military hospital after being beaten by UK soldiers.

The Ministry of Defence said their report appeared to refer to the death in custody of Baha Mousa, which had already been investigated by the RMP.

The soldier's interview is on ITV's Tonight at 2000 BST on Friday 14 May.